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The Story behind Walk and Word

Two years ago I was invited by former students, now co-laborers for the kingdom, to attend what has become the annual “Outhouse Retreat.” At this retreat, about ten of us squeeze into two small cabins without running water, in Mt. Pleasant Michigan, to discuss ministry and theology. The men who attend share what they are learning in the ministry and I am expected to share what I am learning from the ministry and from the more academic circles that I frequent. These men, who have become good friends, have requested that I develop some sort of website through which I can share helpful resources with them and others throughout the year.

I have been putting this off since last year, partly because I lack the ability to do so well, but mostly because I abhor the idea of attracting much attention to myself (my gaudy doctoral robe notwithstanding). At our second retreat this year, they began to apply more pressure. On top of that, three publishers I have been working with on book projects encouraged me to do the same. Still I stalled. Yet the final straw was the generous offer of my brother, Brian, and his friend Dave to build and design the website for next to nothing. Like purchasing a cell phone and joining Facebook, I finally conceded.

Becoming all things to all people can be exhausting, but if the Apostle Paul can shave his head for some people and eat pork for others (1 Cor 9:19-23), I guess I can stomach a website—only for the sake of the gospel.